Board of Town Commissioners - Regular Meeting

On dirait, on dirait.

Bonsoir. Il est maintenant 19 heures, ce 17 août, et la réunion de la mairie de Bel Air est ouverte. Très bien, mesdames et messieurs, un peu de silence, s'il vous plaît. Merci beaucoup. Well, we're going to start with the call.

Or the opening of the session. Oh, you just did it. Don't pay attention. I was thinking of the call.

Oh, here it is. I will proceed with the call. Commissioner Foss.

Present. Commissioner Chimard.

Present. Commissioner Taylor. Present.

And Commissioner Hanley.

Present.

Very well. Thank you very much. The call. Yes, Heavenly Father, we present ourselves before you tonight with a heavy heart after the tragic events that happened in our community, and we pray for our wounded policeman during the shooting. We ask you to bring him healing, strength and peace, and to comfort his family as well as his colleagues. We also pray for the family of the person who lost their life. Surround them with your comfort in these difficult times. As we deal with the affairs of our city tonight, grant us wisdom, compassion and understanding, and help us to serve our community with integrity and benevolence. In your name, we pray. Amen. Amen. Please stand up and join me for the allegiance sermon. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic that it represents. A nation under the aegis of God, indivisible, with freedom and justice for all. Before starting the order of the day of this evening, I would like to make a brief statement in the name of the Council concerning the shooting involving the police that came on Saturday. We continue to offer our prayers for the complete recovery of our officer who was savagely assaulted on Saturday. We recognize that at the moment, it is expected that he will fully recover from his injuries. We are immensely proud of the men and women of the Bel Air Police Department. Under the direction of Chief Charles Moure and Deputy Chief David Hugues, Bel Air has one of the best municipal police services in Maryland. We cannot comment on the investigation carried out by the Department of Police of Bel Air and the Division of Independent Investigations of the Office of the Attorney General of Maryland. The citizens of Bel Air sleep peacefully thanks to the dedication, professionalism and courage of the men and women of the Department of Police of Bel Air. Thank you to Chief Moore and Chief Adjoint Hugues, to all our policemen, and to all civil servants of the Department of Police of Bel Air for their service and dedication to our community. On this, we will start the order of the day of this evening. Uh, does anyone propose to approve the order of the day? Yes, Madam President. I propose that we approve the order of the day of August 17, 2026. Thank you. Do I have a second?

Second.

Thank you. A discussion on the order of the day of this evening? Very well, Mr. Cray.

Thank you, Madam President, for the approval of the public meeting of the Council of Commissioners of Baird tonight, August 17, 2026. Commissioner Foss. For. Commissioner Chimard. For. Commissioner Taylor. For. Commissioner Hanley. For. And President Ng. For. The order of the day tonight is approved. Thank you.

Let's move on to the approval of the verbal trial. May I have a proposal?

Oui, Madame la Présidente. Je propose que le procès-verbal des réunions du Conseil des commissaires tenus les 14 juillet 2026 et 20 juillet 2026 soient approuvés tels que soumis. Ce procès-verbal inclut la session de travail des commissaires du 14 juillet 2026, réunion ouverte et fermée, et la réunion publique des commissaires du 20 juillet 2026, réunion ouverte et fermée. Merci. Ai-je un second ? Secondé. Merci, Commissaire Hanley. Une discussion sur le procès-verbal ? Très bien, Monsieur Cray. Thank you, Madam President, for the approval of the meetings of the Council of Commissars of the City of July 14 and 20. Commissioner Foss. For. Commissioner Chimard. For. Commissioner Taylor. For. Commissioner Hanley. For. And President Ng. For. The verbal trial is approved. Thank you. Very well, let's move on to the presentation. We will start with the recognition of the competition Discover our history of the Historical Preservation Commission. Hello everyone. My name is Joe Horowski and I have the privilege of presiding over the historical preservation commission of the city of Béxar. Welcome and congratulations to our first laureates of the treasure hunt exhibition on historical preservation, organized as part of the 250th anniversary of America for the city of Béxar. I am happy to see members of our community interested in historical preservation. Over the last decade, working in the architecture and historical preservation sector, I realized that historical preservation is an excellent way to strengthen our sense of the community for cities like Berre and to weave links between its citizens. And one of the best ways for people to create links between them is through shared experiences. And preserving these remarkable structures that have been the backbone of our community for generations gives us the opportunity to create these shared experiences. In summary, I think that our sense of belonging to the community is stronger because the people present in this room have adhered to the idea of historical preservation for our city. So thank you to the council of commissioners, to the urbanism staff of the city, as well as to our other preservation commissioners and to our citizens. And once again, congratulations to our laureates. So come and we will give you back our personalized tassels for the 250th anniversary of the city of Berre. Thank you.

And the contest is still in progress. So, if you want to get a cup, I think it's on our website, Laura, the city site.

That's it, yes, and it's in progress. Oh, yes, you can find more details on our website. And the contest continues until the end of this year's 250th anniversary. So, until December 31st. You can fill them the contest and bring them your form, fill them with the answers to the tips to the services of urbanism at 705 East Churchville Road. It's them on the same way as the one you take to go to B&R Pont, continue to the end, from Monday to Friday from 8h to 16h30, and we will be happy to give you a cup. Can we take a group photo with you? I'm sorry.

Bye.

Very, very well. Then, we will move on to the dividends of the insurers of the Chesapeake Employers Workers Compensation Insurance Company. They are not there yet, okay. Uh, Chief Hugues, I ask you what you prefer to do. We can continue with some of our new business and wait a little for the presentation. Go now. Very well. In this case, the promotion of Clarence X to the rank of First Class Officer of the Berre Police Service will be our next presentation. Very good. That's it. What an entrance. What an entrance. Chief Moore has just arrived. So, if Officer X could join us here on the podium. He will be there soon. And he is invited to join you. Invited to join you. Come.

It's a tearless ceremony. He is impatient to join the party. Very well. Very well. Officer Clarence X started his career within the Berre police department on July 22, 2024. As a Berre police officer, Officer X has proven to be an exceptional policeman and a formidable asset for the 1st team and the Berre police department. He has fulfilled his duties with assurance, expertise, common sense and discernment. The qualities of an experienced policeman who demands his short-livedness. The supervisory staff and the Chief of Staff are very impressed by the continuous development, attitude and overall performance of Officer X. He presents himself at work ready to accomplish his mission, manages his responsibilities without hesitation and systematically demonstrates the judgment and the expected maturity of an officer ready for the next stage of his career. He is reliable, hard-working and behaves in a way that honors the department. Agent X is appreciated by his team for his way of approaching his work. He is always ready to help his colleagues, to accept missions and to contribute where we need him. that they respond to calls, carry out proactive patrols or interact with community members, they remain professional, respectful and calm. His presence within the team makes a difference, and he has gained all the trust of those who work with him. Agent X also understands the importance of representing the Beller police service in a positive way. He treats people with respect, communicates effectively and continues to show constant progress in his patrol skills and his decision-making. His work ethic and his attitude make him a reliable and trustworthy member of the department. It is also worth noting that during his short term in the department, Agent X received the price of the city commissioner for having played an essential role in saving a young autistic person who had disappeared in a critical state, remained unfathomable during a period prolonged by glacial temperatures. On the basis of his performance, his character and his continued commitment to this agency, I fully support the promotion of Agent X to the rank of First Class Agent and I am convinced that he will continue to serve the department and the city of Berre with professionalism, pride and devotion. We congratulate Agent X for this well-deserved promotion. Agent X is accompanied tonight by his wife Taylor, his father Clarence X Senior, his mother Sean X, his sons Alexander and Amir, and his brother-in-law Nel. So, who was the young son full of energy who was here? It's my son Al. Well, welcome to you all and congratulations to you, Agent of First Class X, for your promotion.

Good job, my big one. Good job.

You want to get up here? You can get up here and say a few words about your dad if you want. Huh? You want to do that? So, I see where these genes come from. Finally, I see where his character comes from. So, sometimes I have to note some things. It's not that I have nothing to say about people, but with Clarence, it's pretty easy. He really has such a pleasant personality. He receives, finally you receive a lot of compliments from the community. He loves you. Your team loves you. And it seems that all the groups want Clarence to work in their team. It's like you have humor, but you stay serious when you really need it. And one of the things I can say, one of the traits that I noticed especially these last few months, it's maybe because you are, I don't want to say older, but you are an officer older than most. Come on, try it. That's better. And I won't forget to pay you. Come on. What we saw and what we talked about at the command, is that Clarence seems really good. He is, and I don't know, you have this maturity. He is talented. Let him have fun. Let him have fun. The little Clarence. You have this maturity, and it doesn't go unnoticed. We noticed that you seemed to know what to do immediately. You know how to behave. You have the qualities of a leader. All that we need here in the city of Bel Air and in our police service. And I hope to work with you for another good moment. And I know that I will see you climb the ladder. It is a sign of your popularity in the city of Bel Air and of what we think of you. Congratulations to you. It is well deserved. You won it and I want to see you get a few more gallons in a few years. And I know you'll make it. Congratulations to your family and thank you for lending us Clarence. It's a pleasure. So congratulations. Enjoy it.

Oh, here you are, Clarence.

Have fun with all this extra money.

Here, come closer. Oh yes, come for a photo session.

Thank you.

We need one more. Très bien. Very well. Well, we will continue our meeting since the people of Chesapeake are not there, as far as I can see. So let's move on to the new business. Le premier point à l'ordre du jour est la résolution 1279 à 26 modifiant la résolution 1246 à 25, le barème des tarifs de l'armurerie avec une réduction pour les anciens combattants. Puis-je avoir une proposition ? Madame la Présidente, je propose que la résolution numéro 1279 à 26, modifiant le barème des tarifs de location de l'armurerie de Bel Air pour les particuliers et les entreprises en ajoutant une réduction de 10% pour les militaires en service actif en règle et les anciens combattants des Forces armées des États-Unis libérés ou démobilisés dans des conditions honorables, soit adoptée par le Conseil des commissaires municipaux.

Thank you, Commissioner Hanley.

Is there a second proposal? Supported. Thank you, Commissioner Foss. And you, Mike, do you present this point?

Yes, madam. Thank you very much. Let's see. This is a recommendation from the staff aiming to add a reduction for former fighters to the rent of the Ribert armor. Resolution 1279 to 26. Chapter 192 to 1 of the Municipal Code of Baylor authorizes the Council of Commissars to set up fees for certain services, etc., including the rent of the Bélair rents. The rental fees for the armoury have been modified for the last time on March 17, 2025 by resolution 124625. Le personnel a donc réfléchi à la question, nous en avons discuté un peu avec vous lors de la dernière session de travail et nous avons modifié certains points suite à vos suggestions. Voici ce que nous proposons. Tell us what you think about it. The personnel recommends modifying the rental rates of the armory for individuals or companies in order to include a reduction for military and former combatants as follows. A 10% reduction will be applied to active military and former combatants of the United States Armed Forces. The reduction applies only to the Dubai owner named in the rental contract and cannot be accumulated with other reductions. To be eligible, the tenant must provide the event manager with an acceptable proof of his active military service or of his former combatant status. Before the completion of the contract. Acceptable documents include a DD-214. a veteran identity card from the VA, a piece of identity delivered by the government as a driver's license with the veteran mention, or simply a military identity card in activity or of a retiree, or any other official document considered acceptable by the event manager. We do not want it to be too complicated. Active service members must be in rule and former combatants must have received an honorable or general release under honorable conditions, including being released for qualified medical reasons. Thank you very much. Any questions for Mr. France regarding this legislative text?

Yes, I just had a quick question. I am curious because you said that there is a person who forms a list for the former fighters and it was something. Who is it? I forgot who.

It was Jim Port du Comté. The county assembles a kind of repertoire of everything that is available for the former fighters so that they know who to turn to to obtain resources or other reductions to which they could be entitled. It's Jim Port du Comté. Thank you. I'm just asking this for the former fighters of my family. So ? All right. Anything else? All right. Is there a member of the public here who wants to comment on this legislation only for the moment? All right. In this case, Mr. CR.

Thank you, Madam President. This concerns the reception of resolution 127 926, aiming to add the reduction for former combatants to the compensation of the rental fees of the armor shop. Commissioner Fosse. For. Commissioner Chimard. For. Commissioner Taylor. For. Commissioner Hanley. For. And President Eddy. For. Well, thank you. La résolution est reçue et nous tiendrons une audience publique le lundi 8 septembre ici à la mairie à 19 heures. Merci.

Merci. Le point suivant dans les affaires nouvelles concerne le renouvellement des contrats Microsoft 365. Puis-je avoir une proposition? Oui, Madame la Présidente.

Je recommande que les propositions de Dell Marketing, LP pour Microsoft 365, Business Premium, Microsoft Entra Suite et Microsoft Exchange Online pour un montant total de 53 451 dollars et 85 cents. Thank you, Commissioner Foss.

Anyone to support this proposal? I support. Thank you, Commissioner Taylor and Mr. CR. Thank you, Madam President. Every year now, and I guess I'm showing my age by saying this, we can no longer buy the program and keep it. We have to rent them every year. So everything is based on a subscription, including Microsoft Business Premium, the follow-up and the annual subscription to Exchange Online. This subscription provides the city of Bel Air with messaging hosting and the latest versions of essential office software, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Outlook. The package also includes a cloud storage that allows our employees to access files safely from anywhere, promoting flexibility and productivity, and a support component that guarantees that any problem encountered can be solved quickly, thus minimizing stop times. The provisioning of this complete package is carried out by relying on a competitive offer call contract as follows. The framework agreement between the Midwestern Higher Education Commission and Dell Marketing, contract number MHC041-52-022, which is effective, was effective since April 15, 2022 and extends until June 30, 2029. where the Midwestern Higher Education Compact is an interstate pact of 12 states of the Midwest, including Maryland. And it is a non-profit organization 51C3, created by statute, organ director of the pact, established in order, in part, to determine, negotiate and provide quality and affordable services for member states. Higher education institutions eligible, as well as cities, counties, local subdivisions and the government of the state including the Maryland of the members. In summary, the combined pricing proposals of Dell Marketing LP for subscriptions above rise to $ 34,230. For the following Business Premium, Microsoft 365 Business Premium. For the following Entra, it's $18,798. And for Microsoft Exchange Online, $432 extra, or $42,385, for a total amount of $53,451.85. The staff therefore recommends that the Council approve this purchase for this combined amount. Tell me if you have any questions.

Nous ne pouvons plus travailler sans nos accès informatiques et tous les programmes qui vont avec. Alors, eux, des questions pour Monsieur CR ? Y a-t-il un membre du public ici qui souhaite faire un commentaire sur ce contrat ? Très bien. Dans ce cas, Monsieur CR, nous sommes prêts.

Merci, Madame la Présidente. Ceci concerne le vote pour l'achat du renouvellement du contrat Microsoft 365. Commissaire Foss ? Pour. Commissaire Chimard ? Pour. Commissaire Taylor ? Pour. Commissaire Hanley ? Pour. Et Madame la Présidente ?

Le contrat est approuvé. Merci. Le point suivant concerne notre contrat pour l'ascenseur du parking et le petit élévateur du kiosque à musique. Puis-je avoir une motion?

Yes, Madam President. I propose that the city sign the Delaware State Maintenance Contract with Delaware Elevator Incorporated, located at 2210 Allen Drive, Salisbury, Maryland 21801, for the planned preventive maintenance, tests and emergency repair services of the city's elevators, for a period of 4 years, without exceeding $25,000 per year or $100,000 for the total duration of the 4-year contract, be accepted by the commissars of the city of Fenwick. Thank you, Commissioner Schimar. Do I have a support?

Thank you, Commissioner Hanley. And Mr. Dawson, it's your turn.

Yes, Madam President. Thank you, thank you. This contract includes three elevators requiring regular preventive maintenance, regulatory tests and emergency repairs to remain safe, reliable and compliant with state elevator safety regulations. Two of these elevators are located in the parking lot and the other is an elevator located in the music shop. L'accord de maintenance actuel arrive à échéance et le personnel a évalué les options auprès d'entrepreneurs qualifiés aux tarifs compétitifs. L'achat coopératif en se greffant sur un contrat gouvernemental existant ayant fait l'objet d'un appel d'offres concurrentielles est une méthode d'approvisionnement reconnue et autorisée pour la ville. The planned preventive maintenance for the two parking elevators is $7,200 per year, while the cost for the small elevator of the music kiosk is $1,290 per year. The additional funding required annually will only be necessary in case of emergency repairs not included in the maintenance contract. Delaware Elevator, Inc. is an aggrieved and licensed entrepreneur who currently serves the county of Hartford as part of the Delaware State Contract No. GSS-2404-ELEV. Un contrat ayant fait l'objet d'un appel d'offre concurrentiel. L'utilisation de ce contrat permet d'obtenir les mêmes tarifs négociés sans les coulier au délai ou à un nouvel appel d'offre. Oups! Oui, l'accord de 4 ans, plafonné à 25 000 $ par an, soit 100 000 $ au total, couvre l'entretien standard des ascenseurs, la maintenance préventive, la lubrification, l'inspection et les tests des dispositifs de sécurité, des contrôleurs et des portes. The mandatory tests of categories 1 and 5, the 24-hour emergency interventions, 24 and the replacement of common use parts. The team recommends to the Council to accept an agreement with Delaware Elevator by using the tariff of the Delaware State Contract No. GSS-2404-LEF-BAIN. For emergency services and emergency repairs over a period of 4 years, without exceeding $25,000 per year, or $100,000 in total.

Merci, Monsieur Dawson. Des questions ? Y a-t-il des membres du public ici ce soir qui souhaitent faire des commentaires uniquement sur ce contrat ? Très bien. Dans ce cas, Monsieur le Secrétaire, êtes-vous prêt ?

Thank you, Madam President. This concerns the vote on the elevator maintenance contract. Commissioner Foss. For. Commissioner Chimard. For. Commissioner Taylor. For. Commissioner Hanley. For. And President Eddy. For. The contract is approved. Thank you. Our last point of the day is the recommendation of Mr. Stephen Berdette to the Council on Construction. May I have a motion? Madam President, I propose that the reconduction of Steven Berdette for a four-year mandate to the Council of Recovers in construction, with immediate effect, be approved by the Council of Commissars of the City of Bel Air.

Thank you, Commissioner Hanley. Is there a second for this motion?

I second.

Thank you, Commissioner Chimard and Mr. Dawson. Very well. I'm sorry, Michael.

No. Well, it depends on the competence of the Department of Public Works. That's right. But in the absence of Mr. Klein, I think we can simply say that this is a council that rarely meets. Mr. Berdette served for a while, and he will join a council that does not meet, and let's hope he won't have anything to do.

So, the council has never met, but we must have one in case there is a request.

And that's really all there is to say, Mr. Beer. Everything is fine. You don't need to say that. Everything is fine. I wasn't prepared. It doesn't matter.

To say anything. Honestly, honestly, Charlie, don't you feel bad? I think Steve said it. It's so little important that he probably didn't even tell you that it was the order of the day. So, you, you are doing well too. Everyone is fine.

And Mr. Berdette served the city in other functions in the past. He was part of the Council of Municipal Commissars. He was mayor and he has been sitting at the Council of Recourses since he was re-established.

Yes.

And he is back in the historic district. So, he wears several caps for the city. We are just happy that he is complete. I am delighted that Mr. Berdette has agreed to continue his e-service to the city within the Council of Request in construction. On this e, are there any other discussions on the reconstruction of Mr. Berdette? Is there a member of the public here who would like to comment on this nomination of Mr. Berdette to the Council of Request in construction? Very well. In this case, we are ready. Mr. C.R.

Merci, Madame la Présidente. Pour la reconduction de Steven Berdette au Conseil des recours en matière de construction. Commissaire Foss. Pour. Commissaire Chimard. Pour. Commissaire Taylor. Pour. Commissaire Hanley. Pour. Et Présidente Hedding. Pour. Bon retour, Monsieur Berdette.

Très bien. Public announcement. All offices in the city of Baird will be closed on Monday, September 7, on the occasion of the Labor Day. Visit our website or our pages on social networks to find out how waste collection will be affected this week. The summer cinema evenings proposed by the Baird-Hunton Alliance will end for the season on Friday, August 21 with the projection of the film Minecraft at the Shamrock Park. The animation before the session starts at 7.15 p.m. and the film at 8 p.m. The entry is free. If the link with the movement for women's right to vote in the early 20th century interests you, then the event, Family Suffrage Fair, at the Hayes House, on Sunday, August 23, is made for you. Educator and historian Dr. Amy Rosenkranz will talk about Dr. Howard Atwood Kelly, co-founder of Johns Hopkins Medical College in Baltimore, and her sister, the suffragette Dora Kelly Lewis, who worked for the right to vote for women in America. This right was codified by the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 1920. La conférence commence à 13h. L'entrée est de 10$ pour les membres de la Société Historique du comté de Hartford et de 25$ pour les non-membres. Une inscription préalable est requise. Visitez HartfordHistory.org pour acheter vos billets. La Croix-Rouge américaine organisera une collecte de sang à l'armurerie de Bel Air. Le mercredi 26 août de 10h à 15h. To make a donation that saves lives, sign up online at redcrossblood.org. You can also call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or 733-2767, or use the mobile blood donation app of the Red Cross. The Vie de Grenier and Marché Opus Communautaire de Berre, organized by the Downton Alliance, will take place on Sunday, August 30. Le marché Opus se tiendra de 9h à 14h sur le parking du bâtiment Mary Bristol au 2 South Bond Street. Les vies de grenier auront lieu dans toute la communauté. Si vous souhaitez organiser un vie de grenier chez vous dans le cadre de cet événement, contactez l'Alliance au 443 823 1797. ou envoyer un e-mail à info-detonblair.com. L'exposition « Tears are the Days » ouvre à la galerie de la Hartford Artist Association au Army Marketplace le mercredi 2 septembre. L'exposition se terminera le 7 novembre et un vernissage aura lieu le 19 septembre. La galerie est ouverte de 10h à 18h du mercredi au vendredi et de 10h à 16h le samedi et le dimanche. Visitez arendarford.org pour plus d'informations. Les First Fridays de septembre auront lieu le vendredi 4 septembre, de 17h à 20h, sur le parking situé au 121 South Main Street, à côté du Dosby Hall. Les First Fridays sont une initiative de la Dunton Alliance. Visitez duntonbellaire.com ou les réseaux sociaux de l'Alliance pour plus d'informations. Autumn dance classes start on Tuesday, September 22 at Bel Air Armory. This six-week session will continue until November 3. Participants can sign up for the East Coast beginner swing, rumba, American cha-cha beginner, or both. The cost is $ 80 per person for an hour session. Classes will be arranged by Kristen Renshaw. Visit belairarmory.org for more information and to sign up. If you have any questions, please contact the event manager, Julia Pottler, at 410-638-4506. ou à jpottler.org. Le conseil des recours se réunira à 18h le mardi 18 août à l'hôtel de ville de Bel Air. Le comité pour les seniors et les citoyens dans le besoin se réunira à 8h30 le jeudi 27 août dans la salle communautaire du commissariat de Bel Air. La commission de préservation historique se réunira à 18h le jeudi 27 août à l'hôtel de ville. Le conseil des commissaires municipaux tiendra une session de travail à 17h15 le mardi 1er septembre à l'hôtel de ville. Et la prochaine réunion municipale est prévue pour 19h le lundi 8 septembre à l'Hôtel de Ville. Ai-je oublié quelque chose ? Aussi, le comité des arbres est. That must be it. Yes, the work festival. Yes, that's right. So, our next municipal meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8, and not Monday, at the Hôtel de Ville. On September 7, being the holiday of the work festival, the Hôtel de Ville will be closed. In addition, the tree committee is looking for a new member. So, if anyone is interested, please contact the city hall. You can find the information on the website. The tree committee meets once a month, the first Wednesday of the month at 4 p.m. C'est une heure raisonnable, un calendrier raisonnable et ce sont des gens très agréables avec qui travailler. Nous sommes une Tree City USA et nous aimons nos arbres. Quelles sont les heures de réunion déjà ? Je suis désolé, je n'ai pas compris pour lequel. Le comité des arbres.

Le comité des arbres se réunit à 16h30 le premier mercredi du mois.

Je connais peut-être quelqu'un et ils font aussi une pause après l'ouverture du marché fermier pour l'été lors de la journée de l'arbre. Donc, Ce n'est pas un emploi du temps épuisant. Très bien. Ai-je oublié quelque chose? Y a-t-il des corrections aux annonces publiques? Très bien. Dans ce cas, passons aux commentaires du public. Et je vois que Monsieur Stump est présent. Il s'est inscrit à l'avance. Monsieur Stump, si vous pouviez simplement décliner votre nom et votre adresse pour le compte-rendu, vous disposerez de trois minutes.

John Stump, 523 East Broadway, Bel Air. Chef Moore, tout mon respect, Monsieur, ainsi qu'aux hommes et femmes du service de police. Merci. Je tiens à vous remercier infiniment de me permettre de venir prendre la parole ce soir. Je suis venu vous parler ce soir de ce que l'article du 23 juillet 2026 dans l'EGIS ne nous a pas dit. L'article fournissait des informations importantes. Il rapportait l'exercice fiscal 2025. And the city of Bel Air paid 122 employees about 9 million dollars a year, including more than 762,000 dollars in extra hours. These figures are significant, but the numbers on the page only tell part of the story. Behind these figures are people who serve this community and the demands that weigh on it. From my point of view, knowing who wins what is not the problem. La question est, que nous disent ces chiffres sur les ressources à Bel Air ? Nous aurons besoin de protéger notre communauté, maintenant et à l'avenir. L'article indique que le service de police a dépensé plus en salaire que tout autre département. 49 employés ont gagné un total de 4,5 millions de dollars et près de 572 000 dollars. En heures supplémentaires. The additional hours have decreased by more than $56,000 compared to the previous year. But there is another fact that deserves attention. Four police officers were ranked among the 10 highest revenues. Because of the additional hours. Why? For me, this figure represents more than a budget line. They represent difficult and challenging long hours, additional responsibilities and the sacrifice of four sergeants who help ensure the safety of our citizens. Bel Air continues to grow. More inhabitants, more businesses, more visitors and more community events. Needs police services. So, what do these extra hours tell us? Our extra hours do not reflect our expenses. They indicate our needs. The demand for police services continues to exceed the staff available to answer it. Resources we absolutely need. I respectfully ask you to consider the financing of two new police officers, not only for additional hours, but to strengthen public safety and the well-being of officers, because public safety is an investment for our future. Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen, for the opportunity to address me to you, Chief Moore, to you and to your team. Thank you very much. Be careful. As always, Mr Stone, thank you for your comments. Is there another member of the public tonight who wants to make a comment? In the absence of other requests, we move on to the comments of the commissioners. I pray for our agents, our police service and our city. We fully support our department. The city of Bel Air is nothing without public safety and respect for the law. I would also like to say that by coming to the city from Aberdeen on Route 22, the terrain at the corner of Hickory Avenue and Route 22. The county recently made some improvements and we talked about it. It's beautiful now. They planted flowers and trees, and that makes a huge difference when you arrive in town. So I would like us to do something to tell the county that we appreciate this gesture, and maybe identify other places to elaborate in the city, because as I said, it changes everything when we arrive here.

Commissioner Hanley. Sorry, haven't we already done it? Or I don't know. I thought we had discussed it. Maybe let's wait for it to be over. Nous avons discuté de l'envoi d'une lettre de remerciement et je pense vraiment que nous devrions le faire. Je ne sais juste pas si nous l'avons déjà fait.

Je ne pense pas que ce soit le cas.

D'accord. C'est approprié. Envoyez-la. Vous m'avez littéralement enlevé les mots de la bouche. Il n'y a pas d'autre façon de le dire. Nous soutenons fermement notre département. On dirait que nous avons des visiteurs qui arrivent. Voulez-vous simplement à propos des commentaires ?

Nous allons suspendre les commentaires des commissaires et revenir aux dividendes des assurés du programme d'assurance accident du travail de Chesapeake Employers. Alors ?

Nous allons mettre ces points en suspens pour nous occuper de cela. Assurance Accident of Work, and it is a great honor. Last year, we were able to give you a dividend check from Chesapeake Employers. It is a great honor to be able to do this again this year. It is a true testimony of the hard work of your various service managers and the city in terms of security, which really brings money to the city. In fact, everything you do sometimes takes time. This dividend does not come from the last 12 months, but essentially from the previous 12 months. The one from last year concerned the 12 months before, because the compensation for work accidents takes time to follow the circuit. But it is this long, constant and arduous work that you accomplish to limit your claims that end up paying. I am therefore very honored to give you one of the largest checks in the state of Maryland, so to speak. As for this dividend check, it is raised to $ 176,457 from Chesapeake Employers. It is also a tribute to Chesapeake and I do not always give them as much credit. As an agent, we collect all the laurels, don't we? But yes, everyone comes to see me in the evenings. You know how it is. But in reality, Chesapeake is a non-profit organization. It was the compensation fund for the state's labor accidents years ago. They have undergone different transitions over the years, but their mission is to reinvest the money in the communities they serve. As an agency, we represent more than 50 different insurance companies. There is not a single one that distributes dividends like Chesapeake does. The only company that comes close to it would be Texas Mutual in Texas. To give you an idea, it's really exceptional and, once again, it's a great honor for me to give you this tonight. My name is Michael Cray. Stay here, Brent. Don't move. I am the Director of Human Resources and Administration. And I must thank Brent in particular for representing us so wonderfully well. At APIC, Employers Insurance has been and continues to be an extraordinary resource for the city, not only by providing support and representation, but also a lot of training and initiatives to help our security committee and our service managers promote awareness of security, training, as well as all security meetings and other measures that I know our police service, and especially our technical services, apply on a daily basis. These types of continuous training initiatives could not come to fruition without the hard work of our service managers, especially in these two departments where the risks are the highest. Not to mention the risks of falls or cuts in my own service, but in this perspective, most of the work relies on our public works and our police. Absolutely. Le soutien apporté par Chesapeake est vraiment déterminant et nous ne pourrions pas aussi bien faire notre travail sans leur représentation. Nous pourrions demander à Rachel Diner, notre directrice financière, ainsi qu'aux autres chefs de service, de s'avancer pour accepter ce chèque de la part de Chesapeake. Et si le Conseil souhaite nous rejoindre, nous pourrions peut-être faire une photo.

J'adorerais. Merci pour tout ce que vous faites, monsieur. Before the photo, we would like to thank all our employees who made this dividend possible, because without their care at work, we would not have had it. As a sign of appreciation, we have reimbursed $ 1,900 to each employee present for a few years to thank them and share the success of the work accident compensation program. It's wonderful. We thank you for giving it to us and we have shared the wealth.

All these politicians. Over there. It's good for us.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. Enjoy. As for the rivalry between the cities, you better not have it. Thanks.

Thank you. It was tight. They were in the top 4 with you. Oh la la, okay. You were only beaten by a county of the Eastern Shore. That's all I have to say.

Very well, the last presentation is done, we move on to the comments of the commissioners.

Yes, them. All I can say is that we firmly support the department. It is really the heart of my message and everything I can express. Another thing, on a lighter note, I wanted to share this with the staff, especially Angela, but also with those who still listen to us at home. A little anecdote on my weekend. While walking around downtown, we decided to take a walk on a sunny day. We thought it was a good walk of 25 minutes from East McFoe, so we could probably neutralize the caloric intake of dinner at Sunny Day. And while waiting for our table, because there is always waiting at Sunny Day given their success, which makes us very happy. We decided to go down to Cortland and we entered Swingback Antique, which we love to visit, like Old Line Mercantile. In fact, surprising thing, we had never been to Swingback. They just celebrated their first year at this location. And I came across an autobiography from 1898, sorry, by the former British Prime Minister William Gladstone, who was in office in the 1860s. It was an incredible discovery. It's a book that's 128 years old. Yes, and she told me she had just received it a few days earlier. Someone had obtained it during a succession auction. He had it. And she was selling it for only $ 6. He had no idea what he owned. So, I didn't hesitate a second. But if I tell you this story, it is that by going to the cash register, we met and she mentioned that one of the wonderful aspects of this location is to be part of the commercial community of the centre-ville of Berre, it is the support and support of other merchants in the same sector. We also talked a little bit about mercantile holdlines and tanks. We mentioned the new arrivals, Rockies, and how she has already been able to establish a working relationship with them, without seeing it as some kind of competition. It will rather be a rising tide that lifts all the boats. This will attract more people to Bair, as a destination for the Antiquities. I told myself that it was a great chance that many of our small merchants have. They may be, economically speaking, in competition, but it is not at all their state of mind. L'état d'esprit, c'est la coopération, et c'est quelque chose que j'entends souvent de la part de nos petits entrepreneurs. Et je, je pense qu'en partie, c'est un témoignage, pardon, c'est une fierté pour notre service de développement économique qui fait un si bon travail, eux, vous savez, pour aider à diriger cette équipe et faire en sorte que chacun se sente membre d'une même équipe, l'équipe Baird. and we came to talk about the work she had done with you. And of course, as soon as I pronounced your name, I knew she would do it. She knew exactly who you were, that she had worked with your service, and that she thought a lot about what the city had done for her and that she also loved this location. and she mentioned how economical it was to be in this place rather than on Main Street. So we had a wonderful weekend, and it is a new excellent opportunity to meet a business owner who has been well treated by the city of Berre, and more importantly, who has such a positive experience with the entire business community. Thank you very much for these kind words. I really appreciate it and I will share it with my service, who worked with her, and I could not agree more. We have an excellent business community. Je veux juste partager mes pensées avec le service de police et notre officier qui a été blessé. Je crois comprendre qu'il a été libéré de l'hôpital, ce qui est une bonne nouvelle, et qu'on s'attend à un rétablissement complet. Je comprends. En fait, il est, malheureusement, il est retourné à l'hôpital. Ah, vraiment ? Oui, monsieur.

Oui.

Eh bien, nos pensées et nos prières l'accompagnent. Merci beaucoup.

And chief, our thoughts and our prayers, as you know. And I just think that, uh, sir, it's something when you come to talk so eloquently about our police service and with so much passion about it. And you're right. I mean, we have the order and the law and they protect, but the police officers of our community are also councilors. Uh, they are mediators during real estate disputes. They are, they, comforters for lost children. They, they are, you know, obviously first responders, but sometimes they bring medical help, you know, they are there even before the ambulances arrive. They wear so many hats that we just don't realize, they, and we really appreciate. We really appreciate you, and please tell your staff how much we appreciate them and how much we pray for them. They know it and they really appreciate it on your part.

They know that you support them and that you are behind them, and that means a lot. So, thank you.

I will echo the comments of the other commissars. I continue to pray for the complete and quick recovery of the agent and his family. I know that it is a very stressful period for them. And I greatly appreciate the dedication and professionalism of the men and women of the Bel Air Police Department, both the agents and the civil personnel. They are of the first order. Thank you, Madam.

Other comments?

Let's just hope it doesn't rain on September 4th, because it would be the third first Friday in a row. So...

Very well. Let's cross our fingers for it to be beautiful. Very well. And if we have finished with the comments from the commissars, may I have a motion to raise the session?

It is proposed.

Anyone to press? I press. Very well. And all those who are for?

For. For. The session is raised.